Shoes that will make you smile: we interviewed the artists who made them!

I believe this pair of shoes really has some bite to it! Odd but beautiful, it deserves its own plaque! The ‘Apex Predator’ was created by London-based studio ‘Fantich & Young’. The unique collection of sculptures was created to send out a message about the horrors of the 2008 financial crisis. In this exclusive interview, the creative duo talk more about the inspiration for the shoes and what dentists think of the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth. [read our original post about them here.]

How’d you come up with the concept of using teeth as the soles of shoes?
Our work addresses parallels between social evolution and evolution in the natural world, nature as model or nature as a threat. The shoes reflect aspects of the political philosophy (‘survival of the fittest’) of Herbert Spencer’s Social Darwinism and the financially related Economic Darwinism theory.

Apex Predator was created in 2010 in response to 2008 financial crisis. Apex Predator highlights the bail out and whitewash of the 2008 financial crisis that accumulated not only in the political policy that some banking institutions were too big to fail but were too big for trial.

What’s the underlying theme or message behind this line of footwear?
Apex Predator is a representation of the ruling elite and their offspring who are at the top of the social food chain and have no predators of their own.

What was the most difficult part of developing the shoes? How long did it take to place the dentures on the soles?
Creativity is like a magic trick, once you know how it’s done, it’s no longer fun.

Is it functional? Have you tried wearing it? If yes, how does it feel walking on hundreds of dentures?
The Apex Predator shoes were created as limited edition Fine Art sculpture and were not designed for every daywear or available in specific sizes. That said, we wore them once for a photo shoot and they made you feel like the tooth fairy.

Seeing as you used dentures, we’re just curious as to how the dentist reacted when you told him/her you planned to use the teeth on shoes. What did the dentist say? Was it a bit awkward?
Curiously, dentists are amongst our biggest fans, it seems that they can’t get enough of the Apex Predator shoes. So they were very enthusiastic and cooperative with our request.

About the author

Inigo is a writer and graphic designer from Manila, Philippines. He is a soldier of love who will carry you on his strong back of awesomeness when the zombie apocalypse arrives.

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